A 10-year-old boy took his own life after suffering horrific bullying at school, with his family saying he had warned officials 20 times about the ongoing abuse.
Sammy Teusch, of Greenfield, Indiana, died by suicide on May 5 and was bullied until the night he died, according to his family.
His parents Sam and Nichole say he was bullied both physically and emotionally at school, with Sammy recently beaten up on a school bus.
The bullying started last year when he was in elementary school and followed him to Greenfield Intermediate School.
According to the family, Sammy told teachers and other staff 20 times about the bullying.
Sammy Teusch, of Greenfield, Indiana, died by suicide on May 5 and was bullied until the night he died, according to his family
The bullying had started last year when he was in primary school and followed him to Greenfield Intermediate School
The bullying is said to have started at school and then followed him home, continuing on the social media platform Snapchat
His parents Nichole and Sam said their son was bullied because of his glasses and then because of his teeth
His father Sam told him WHT: ‘At first they made fun of him because of his glasses, then because of his teeth. It took a long time.’
‘I held him in my arms. I did what no father should ever do, and every time I close my eyes, it’s all I can see.
The abuse then turned physical, Sam added: “He got beat up on the school bus and the kids broke his glasses and stuff.
‘I called the school and I was like, ‘What are you doing about this? It keeps getting worse, and worse, and worse. And it doesn’t get any better. In fact, it’s getting worse.’
Speak with 21aliveHis grandmother Cynthia said, “They can’t just say they have zero tolerance because that doesn’t mean zero tolerance for bullies.
‘Their zero tolerance means they have no responsibility for it. People trust their children to the school, but now that trust is shaking.’
Dr. Harold Olin was contacted by the outlet for an interview and said he was unavailable, but claimed the family never filed a bullying report.
Olin added that school administrators had conversations with the family throughout the year, but would not share the content of those conversations.
According to the family, they contacted their son’s school twenty times about the bullying
His grandmother Cynthia says people’s trust in schools is being shaken
Dr. Harold Olin, left, was contacted by the outlet for an interview and said he was unavailable. Bronson Curtis, right,
His parents Sam and Nichole say he was bullied both physically and emotionally at school, with Sammy recently beaten up on a school bus.
Sam added: ‘[The school] knew this was going on,” with the bullying moving from the school and the bus to social media platforms like Snapchat.
His mother Nichole said: “He was my little boy. He was my baby. He was the youngest.’
Greenfield-Central Community School said in a statement: “The death of Samuel Teusch is tragic and has left our school corporation and the greater community in tremendous sadness. Our thoughts go out to the family at this time.
“Sammy has been studying at Greenfield-Central for the past year and a half. He completed his third grade at Weston Elementary School in May 2023, and he was a fourth grade student at Greenfield Intermediate School during the current 2023-2024 school year.
“We were notified of his death on Sunday afternoon and we sent our crisis response team to both Greenfield Intermediate School and Greenfield Central Junior High School (where he has two siblings) to start the week.
“Our staff at Greenfield-Central has worked extensively with the Teusch family over the past eighteen months. There was frequent contact between school staff and parents.
“The parents have reported the manner of death as suicide and we are investigating their claims of bullying.
“While the investigation continues, we are focusing our resources primarily on meeting the immediate needs of the students we serve in Greenfield-Central Schools.”